PURPOSE:: Although moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is related to premature mortality, the relationship between sedentary behaviors and mortality has not been fully explored and may represent a different paradigm than that associated with lack of exercise. We prospectively examined sitting time and mortality in a representative sample of 17,013 Canadians 18-90 yr of age. METHODS:: Evaluation of daily sitting time (almost none of the time, one fourth of the time, half of the time, three fourths of the time, almost all of the time), leisure time physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol consumption was conducted at baseline. Participants were followed prospectively for an average of 12.0 yr for the ascertainment of mortality status. RESULTS:: There were 1832 deaths (759 of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 547 of cancer) during 204,732 person-yr of follow-up. After adjustment for potential confounders, there was a progressively higher risk of mortality across higher levels of sitting time from all causes (hazard ratios (HR): 1.00, 1.00, 1.11, 1.36, 1.54; P for trend <0.0001) and CVD (HR:1.00, 1.01, 1.22, 1.47, 1.54; P for trend <0.0001) but not cancer. Similar results were obtained when stratified by sex, age, smoking status, and body mass index. Age-adjusted all-cause mortality rates per 10,000 person-yr of follow-up were 87, 86, 105, 130, and 161 (P for trend <0.0001) in physically inactive participants and 75, 69, 76, 98, 105 (P for trend = 0.008) in active participants across sitting time categories. CONCLUSIONS:: These data demonstrate a dose-response association between sitting time and mortality from all causes and CVD, independent of leisure time physical activity. In addition to the promotion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and a healthy weight, physicians should discourage sitting for extended periods.

5 comments:

See that makes complete sense to me. I work with a lot of marine biologists who are really buff as if they are real gym bunnies. But yet have probably never set foot in a gym in their lives and I swear its because they lead really active lives. Also my flatmate walks around a lot at his work etc. I swear he is really really fit but does no actual exercise.

This is scary for me since I drive a bus for a living. I recently wrote an article for our company newsletter urging drivers to get up and moving as much as possible. (Obesity is rampant at the company.) Time to bring back the squat (honker down, or indiginous people stretch.) I've heard others remark how the chair was the worst invention for mankind and by sitting on the floor one can be helped. Primarily cause one has to keep readjusting.

I learned years ago...to offset my office sitting a bit, I stand when talking on the phone. Not only does it allow me to breathe better, which lead to better smiles, but gives a very different "feel" to the person on the other end of the line.

I enjoyed following the whole entry, I always thought one of the main things to count when you write a blog is learning how to complement the ideas with images, that's exploiting at the maximum the possibilities of a ciber-space! Good work on this entry!